You just never know which Notre Dame team is going to show up. Sure, the Irish have beaten many of the teams they were supposed to, but losses to Marshall and Stanford have caused people to have doubts about what the team is capable of. Now, they have to face a quality Syracuse team on the road with only a few real advantages in the matchup. Will playing to strengths such as penalties and time of possession pay off, or will those things be irrelevant to the outcome?
The Orange come into this game knowing how to keep points off the scoreboard, win the turnover battle and do well in the red zone on both ends. They weren’t undefeated before last week’s loss to Clemson for nothing. Many have argued that the loss makes them seem more vulnerable, meaning the Irish are facing them at the right time. Until this game ends though, the Orange at least have the overall statistical edge.
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